Hay-rack for stock-cars



' (No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet l.

E. A. STARE, J. H. DIERS & J. L. BIGKET.

HAY RACK FOR STOCK CARS.

Patented Nov. 13, 1888.

WITNESSES (No Model.) 2 SheetsShe et 2.

E. A. STARE, JVH. DIERS & J. L. BIOKET.

HAY RACK FOR. STOCK CARS.

Patented Nov.

WITNESSES ttarneyd'. I

N, PEYERS Pholo-Lilhographcn Walhinglom |1cv UNITED STATES PATENT FFlGE...

ELIAS A. STARE, JOHN H. DIERS, AND JAMES L. BIOKET, OF SIBLEY, ILLINOIS.

HAY-RACK FOR STOCK-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 392,644, dated November 13, 1888.

Application filed March 24, 1888.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ELIAS A. STARE, J OHN H. DIERS,21I1(1 JAMES L. BIOKET, citizens of the United States, residing at Sibley, in the county of Ford and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Hay- Racks for Stock-Oars, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to an improvement in hay-racks for stock-cars; and it consists in the peculiar construction and combination of devices that will be more fully set forth hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is partly a side elevation and partly a longitudinal vertical sectional View of the stock-car provided with watering and feeding devices em bodying our improvement. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of a portion of the car taken on the line as :0 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the wateringtroughs, showing the same detached from the car.

A represents the stock-car, which is of the ordinary construction with the exception that the upper portion of its sides above the longitudinal slats B are completely closed by means of boards 0, the said boards extending downward from the roof of the car to within asuitable height above the floor thereof. On the roof of the car, at the center thereof, and extending throughoutnearly the entire length of the same, is a hopper, D, the sides of which are oppositely inclined, as at E. The said sides are connected at suitable regular distances by means of transverse partition-boards F. he hopper is provided further on its upper side with hinged boards G, whereby the hopper may be opened or closed. WVhen the said boards are closed over the hopper, they may be used by the brakemen to walk upon in passing back and forth over the train.

H represents a longitudinal board, which is arranged in the center of the car, and is suspended from the rafters I by means of vertical bolts K. This board is arranged directly under the center of the hopper and serves to support the centers of a series of arched rackbars, L, which are arranged at suitable regular distances apart, and are made of wood or Serial No. 268,393; (No model.)

metal, as may be preferred. The ends of the said rack-bars are supported on longitudinal cleats M, which are secured to the inner sides of the side boarding, O, at the lower edges thereof. From this it will be understood that the rack under the roof is arranged entirely above the lower edges of the side boards, 0, so that there will be no danger from sparks of locomotives entering the rack and setting fire to the contents thereof. The function. of the" rack is to contain hay for the stock or cattle, the hay being fed to the rack through the hopper, care being taken to distribute the hay evenly along the rack, so that each animal may get its fair share thereof.

The animals standing on the floor reach up ward and draw the hay through the spaces between the rack-bars.

N represents water-troughs, which are arranged in the sides of the car, the said troughs comprising each a pair of boards, 0 P, which are united at their lower edges by strips of rubber, leather, or other flexible material, R, which will render the troughperfectly Watertight,and at the same time serve as hinges to permit the boards 1? to be folded up snugly against the boards 0. The ends of the trough are formed by triangular pieces S, of similar flexible material.

T represents the series of straps which are secured to the outer side boards, 0, of the troughs, and by means of which the troughs may be suspended on the sides of the car at any desired distance from the floor.

U represents a series of cords or straps of suitable length ,which connect the upper edges of the boards P to the side of the car and serve to prevent the inner side boards, P, of the troughs from swinging to too great an angle from the boardsO; and said cords or straps are further employed as braces to relieve the troughs of strain.

V represents water-distributingpipes,which have their upper ends connected to a funnel, W, supported on the roof of the car near one side thereof, and the lower ends of said water pipes are arranged above the troughs on one side of the car. Said pipes are diverged, in

order to clear the central dooiya, in the side of the car.

X represents water-pipes, which are arranged at the ends of the ear and commnni cate with the troughs on both sides of the car, so as to supply both of the troughs with water. The operation of this part of my invention is as follows: When the car is in motion, the water-troughs are folded up against the sides of the car, as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and when the train stops at a station, where it is desired to water the cattle, the troughs are opened, as shown in solid lines in Fig. 2. The funnel \V is connected by suitable pipes to the discharge-spout of the watertank used for supplying the locomotive, and water is thereby distributed to the troughs through the pipes V and X, as will be readily understood.

Feeding and watering devices such as here inbefore described may be attached to any of the ordinary stock-cars now in use by railroad companies at a comparatively slight ex pense, and will be found of great utility in supplying the stock with food and water while in transit, thus preventing the suffering which is now entailed on the lorntes and keeping them in good condition until. they reach their destination.

Having thus described our invention, we claim--- The combination, with the car having the upper portions of its sides inclosed by the boards 0, the longitudinal central board H arranged below the roof of the car, the longitudinal cleats Mon the sides of the car at the lower edge of the boards 0, the transverse arched rack-bars having their central portions 35 supported by the said board H, and their ends secured to the cleats M, the transverse bars I above the arched rack-bars, and the bolts K, passed vertically through the board H, rackbars K, and transverse bars I, as specified.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto affixed our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

ELIAS A. STARE. JOHN H. DIERS. J AMES L. BIOKET.

Witnesses:

JOHN Y. DOUGHERTY, HARRY COLE. 

